Escape from Rungistan (1982)

Look: 7/10 Very barebones and wireframe, interesting since I know Apple II graphic text adventures could do more than this. Still, this somehow felt more, hm, formal? than the Paint-esque full-color ones I've otherwise seen.

While I liked that the wireframe graphics gave me PLATO era vibes, and it was more straightforward and just as beautiful as any amount of color, I just still didn't get fully into it. In other words, I certainly can get "fully into" simply wireframe graphics like this, but this one didn't fully sell me.

Sound: -/- On replay I should give it a proper try! For this time, I selected Silence.

Play: 8/10 Uhhhhh this is going to go either way... here goes nothing.. The cover is decidedly questionable, and all the descriptions I find online as well... but you never know. Oh whoa, welp, whether or not I care for the concept, verrrrry interesting to see action sequences like this. It's sort of like those God of War action sequences (in this game, for instance, as a mouse runs by in a graphic text adventure still screen, you are supposed to enter a command at a certain time! verrrry unique for this year!) At first I giggled that this had Action as a genre, but now I see that is completely legitimate. Arg, it's almost too action, that snake got me!

I should have been able to tell from the dramatic zoom in that starts the game even before the title screen :-p Oh, and of course, the title screen

Feel: 8/10 I like how terse these last 2 '82 text adventures I've played have been :-p I always love allowing for options at the beginning, e.g., the short/long/no song feature. Maybe one of the reasons I like text adventures so much is there isn't the possibility for too much convolution possible with controls (there was some other reason, but then I forgot it.. heh..... arg thats gonna bother me... anyway). I also had thought the turn-based nature of text adventures is what sold me, so I could step away etc, but this game certianly proves otherwise. Anyway, with all these positive things said, the reality is--this is a) just too hard for me when was going in for a turn-based, whimsical text adventure, and b) I'd rather be pressing one key or a button on a gamepad for an action sequence, not trying to type commands to flee a helicopter or jump a gorge. Still, brilliant idea, good execution, and overcame its lame concept--but with a lame initial concept, indeed, even with a very unique and exciting innovation in gameplay, makes the game not all that worth defending or anything.

EDIT: Welp, like many of the other games I didn't give a proper chance, often due to frustrations with the premise or gameplay style, I wound up returning to this one. Certainly says something about the game--that absurd mixture of action sequences and aspects into a text adventure really got me, I felt that I had to finish the game 100%. So here, are some of the scribblings I got from replaying it: almost felt like a typing game with the action parts. and some of the drawings were better than I gave them credit for. I like the parts where your speed and skill are why I should save game regularly, but not a fan of any rng style deaths in text adventures. with 5000 games on my backlog, and the fact I picked almost every game off the Grouvee database from 82-86, I really need to get better about simply moving on--it's not like the original 3 star was a bad rating and I would've returned to it some day likely...--but I can't help but be thorough! Ugh, this is gonna be a long journey heh, and I'm so eager for the NES, SNES, then PS1 era ugh! I liked the snow animation graphic, and well, that whole segment of the game, tho the skiing was a bit much for a text adventure heh. er, an text action-adventure.

Dang, that skiing part actually becomes really fast-paced. And wait, did I just rip off some saloon's doors for a raft? lol. Glad I pushed through, after thinking only a more skilled gamer could have the patience, because it was fun despite the difficulty and frustrations.

Attachment: 9/10 I thought the concept was gonna make me dislike it inherently, no matter if it were good. But the unique action-mixed-with-text-adventure for '82 really sparks. What a great several games i've played the last 48 hours! This project certainly goes in waves heh... Despite its frustrations and faults, I do wanna give this another try--not only with the Songs on, but also to fully complete it despite the "fast-paced (heh) action sequences. Boy am I in for a treat when Nintendo Hard trends... EDIT: I mean, the fact I already replayed it (and got all the way to the jungle screens of Part 4 arg) boosted this to a 9. Whether I like the premise or not heh..